Danish Victoria Cross Recipients
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DANISH VICTORIA CROSS RECIPIENTS ED EMERING During World War I and World War II four Danes were occasions in the face of intense fire and managed awarded the Victoria Cross (Figure 1). Their names and to rescue six of the wounded. For his bravery and a brief biography of each is given below. leadership, he was the first Dane to receive the Victoria Cross. He continued serving during World War I and World War II and was eventually promoted to Brigadier. His Victoria Cross, along with his other medals, is on display at the Imperial War Museum in London. He is buried at the Garrison Cemetery in Copenhagen. Figure 1: The Victoria Cross. Brigadier Percy Hansen, VC, DSO and Bar, MC, (1890- 1951) (Figure 2) was born in Durban, South Africa. At age 24, he found himself serving as a Captain in the 6th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment at Gallipoli, Turkey. On August 9, 1915, his Battalion was forced to retreat in the face of a deliberately set bush fire, leaving Figure 3: Corporal Jorgen Christian Jensen, VC. several wounded members on the field and in danger of being burned to death. Captain Hansen, along with Corporal Jorgen Christian Jensen, VC, (1891-1922) some volunteers re-entered the battlefield on several (Figure 4), who was born in Logstor, Denmark and who later became a British subject, received his Victoria Cross for actions at Noreuil, France during April 1917. On April 2nd, along with five comrades, he attacked a German barricade and machine gun position, resulting in the death of one German and the surrender of 45 others. He used one of the prisoners to secure the surrender of a second group of Germans. The Jensen Victoria Cross is on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. He is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery in Adelide, Australia. As a young man at the outbreak of World War I, Thomas Dinesen, VC (1892-1979) (Figure 4) had the urge to fight against the German aggression. After failing in his attempts to join the British, French or American Armies, he was finally accepted by the Canadians. He enlisted as a Private in the 42nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and served in the Battle Figure 2: Brigadier Percy Hansen, VC, DSO, MC. of Amiens at Parvillers, France. On August 12, 1918, he charged the entrenched German forces on no less Vol. 63, No. 6 (November-December 2012) 41 Figure 5: Major Anders Lassen, VC, MC. Figure 4: Lieutenant Thomas Dinesen, VC. books, including a description of his efforts to join than five separate occasions. He was credited with the Western forces and the actions that won him the killing 12 enemy soldiers with bayonet and grenades Victoria Cross. He is buried in Horsholm Churchyard, while silencing a number of the enemy guns. For his Frederiksborg, Denmark. bravery and inspirational leadership, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the French Croix de Guerre and later During, World War II, Anders Lassen, VC, MC and Bar promoted to lieutenant. (1920-1945) (Figure 5), who may have been a distant cousin of Dinesen and one of Denmark’s greatest World After the conclusion of hostilities, he moved to British War II military heroes, would repeat this feat and win East Africa where he joined the family coffee business. the Victoria Cross. Lassen, a merchant seaman on board He later returned to Denmark where he authored several the tanker, Elenora Maersk, found himself stranded in Britain following the German occupation of Denmark. Figure 6: Danish Crown Prince Frederick (left) with a wounded Danish officer who holding the medals of Anders Lassen, and his wife. 42 JOMSA He applied for and was accepted into No. 62 Commando, machine guns. Major Lassen is buried at Argenta Gap a British raiding force, which would ultimately become War Cemetary in northern Italy near where his death a part of the famed British Special Air Service (SAS). occurred. Initially a Private, he later received a direct commission and a gained a Military Cross for action on the Spanish In addition to the award of the Victoria Cross, the only island of Fernando Po in the Gulf of Guinea, now known one awarded to a foreigner during WW II, for his actions as Bioko. at Lake Comacchio, which was awarded posthumously during September 1945, he also received the Military By 1944, he had risen to the rank of temporary Major Cross with two Bars, the King Christian X Memorial with the Special Boat Squadron of the 1st S.A.S. Medal, the Greek War Cross, the 1939-45 Star, the Regiment and was serving in Italy. During early April Africa Star, the Italy Star, the Defense Medal and the 1945, he was directed to lead a raiding party on the War Medal (Figure 6). His medals are on display at the north shore of Lago (Lake) Comacchio in northern Italy. Danish Resistance Museum in Copenhagen. When challenged by German forces, he led an attack against their positions. Even when mortally wounded by These Danish heroes are four of only 14 Victoria German fire, he refused evacuation until the mission had Cross recipients who were not born as British or been completed. In total, three German positions were Commonwealth citizens. completely eliminated including the destruction of six SECRETARY’S REPORT AUGUST-SEPTEMBER Those listed as new members have applied for 2012 membership in the Orders and Medals Society of America. If no proper written objection to such membership is received from any member in good standing within sixty (60) days of publication, the applicant shall be admitted to membership (Article III, Section 3 of the OMSA Constitution, and Article III, Section 2 of the OMSA By-Laws). The collecting interests of each new member as provided on the membership application follow each new member’s address. NEW MEMBERS #8223 Jimmie Meznek, (Internet), 2999 E. Ocean Blvd. #1020, Long Beach, CA 90803 #8224 Christopher Whittaker, (Internet), 22 Ironbark Lane, Ellenbrook, Western Australia 6069, Australia #8225 James Beesley, (Internet), 343 Kingscourt, Houston, TX 77015-2320 #8226 David Nordenschild, (Internet), 167 Power Point Lane, Lexington, SC 29072 #8227 Vladimir Butenko, (Internet), 701 Pennsylvania Ave. Ste 108, San Francisco, CA 94107 #8228 Urban Martinez, (Internet), 423 West Chase Ct., Mandeville, LA 70448 #8229 Anthony Stencel, (Internet), 1254 Pottawatomie Ct., Long Grove, IL 60047 #8230 Sune Schonnemann Jensen, (Internet), Blokland 114 ST TH, DK-2620, Denmark DECEASED Baumler, William, #4561, 188 Abbington Ave., Buffalo, NY 14223 Maren, Peter, #7638, 545 Plainfield Rd. Ste A, Willowbrook, IL 60527 ADDRESS CHANGES & CORRECTIONS Guinee, Vince, #4677, PSC 277 Box 264, APO, AP 96549 Kistler, Kent, #4136, P.O. Box 1503 Milton, WA 98354-1503 Konopka, Donald G., #6609, 3864 Hunting Ridge Dr. SW, Liburn, GA 30047 Lawson, Patricia Aiko, #8037, 1607 SE 171st PL., Vancouver, WA 98683-3448 Leene, Bob, #7843, Spandauer Strasse 2 #07-15, 10178 Berlin, Germany Princeton University Library, #8198, Acquisition Service Periodicals, 693 Alexander Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540-6317 Redmon, Larry, #6317, USDAO, 9000 New Delhi Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9000 Whalen-Crichton, Brian, #4809, 1921 Millpoint Ln., Virginia Beach, VA 23456-4975 End of Report Clyde L. Tinklepaugh, Jr. Secretary Vol. 63, No. 6 (November-December 2012) 43.